Reading Comprehension

Plunge

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

The first plunge into public speaking often reveals quite unexpectedly the physical strain imposed on the nervous system. Muscles controlling your lungs, your body, or your memory may need strengthening. Mannerisms which divert physical energy may need checking, deep breathing may have to be practiced. But once you are aware of these necessary adjuncts to public speaking, you can overhaul the machinery and be reasonably confident of withstanding the strain. The human machine, like all machinery, breaks down occasionally and bad health or brain tiredness will react on your speaking ability, but just as no healthy minded person should live in constant fear of illness, so no trained speaker should anticipate physical breakdowns. Should mental blackouts occur, it is not necessarily a tragedy, and auto-suggestion can be practiced, or methods of diverting audiences can be learnt, or appeal by frank confession of your mental lapse can be tried. Any of these remedies can help overcome fear and restore self-confidence.

Overhaul

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

The first plunge into public speaking often reveals quite unexpectedly the physical strain imposed on the nervous system. Muscles controlling your lungs, your body, or your memory may need strengthening. Mannerisms which divert physical energy may need checking, deep breathing may have to be practiced. But once you are aware of these necessary adjuncts to public speaking, you can overhaul the machinery and be reasonably confident of withstanding the strain. The human machine, like all machinery, breaks down occasionally and bad health or brain tiredness will react on your speaking ability, but just as no healthy minded person should live in constant fear of illness, so no trained speaker should anticipate physical breakdowns. Should mental blackouts occur, it is not necessarily a tragedy, and auto-suggestion can be practiced, or methods of diverting audiences can be learnt, or appeal by frank confession of your mental lapse can be tried. Any of these remedies can help overcome fear and restore self-confidence.

Expound

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

The learning of a foreign language should be an integral part of every university student's education. As a discipline, it affords the mind excellent training. It utilizes skills needed in so many other subjects: the concentration required for memorizing music (not to mention developing the ear for tone and pitch); the logical thinking for resolving mathematical problems, even the deductive reasoning capabilities needed to comprehend philosophical concepts. The mind is stretched through the simple act of teaming the gram­matical patterns, vocabulary and phonological system of a language. At the same time, the student of a for­eign language is acquiring a useful tool. This tool has a double advantage, for a whole most people (especially teachers) expound on the rewards of being able to communicate in a second, third or fourth language. Perhaps the more promising of the two, is being able to understand and hopefully appreciate another cul­tural group through their literature, their music and customs all of which are best assimilated through the medium of their language

Confession

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

The first plunge into public speaking often reveals quite unexpectedly the physical strain imposed on the nervous system. Muscles controlling your lungs, your body, or your memory may need strengthening. Mannerisms which divert physical energy may need checking, deep breathing may have to be practiced. But once you are aware of these necessary adjuncts to public speaking, you can overhaul the machinery and be reasonably confident of withstanding the strain. The human machine, like all machinery, breaks down occasionally and bad health or brain tiredness will react on your speaking ability, but just as no healthy minded person should live in constant fear of illness, so no trained speaker should anticipate physical breakdowns. Should mental blackouts occur, it is not necessarily a tragedy, and auto-suggestion can be practiced, or methods of diverting audiences can be learnt, or appeal by frank confession of your mental lapse can be tried. Any of these remedies can help overcome fear and restore self-confidence.

Integral

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

The learning of a foreign language should be an integral part of every university student's education. As a discipline, it affords the mind excellent training. It utilizes skills needed in so many other subjects: the concentration required for memorizing music (not to mention developing the ear for tone and pitch); the logical thinking for resolving mathematical problems, even the deductive reasoning capabilities needed to comprehend philosophical concepts. The mind is stretched through the simple act of teaming the gram­matical patterns, vocabulary and phonological system of a language. At the same time, the student of a for­eign language is acquiring a useful tool. This tool has a double advantage, for a whole most people (especially teachers) expound on the rewards of being able to communicate in a second, third or fourth language. Perhaps the more promising of the two, is being able to understand and hopefully appreciate another cul­tural group through their literature, their music and customs all of which are best assimilated through the medium of their language

Adjuncts

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

The first plunge into public speaking often reveals quite unexpectedly the physical strain imposed on the nervous system. Muscles controlling your lungs, your body, or your memory may need strengthening. Mannerisms which divert physical energy may need checking, deep breathing may have to be practiced. But once you are aware of these necessary adjuncts to public speaking, you can overhaul the machinery and be reasonably confident of withstanding the strain. The human machine, like all machinery, breaks down occasionally and bad health or brain tiredness will react on your speaking ability, but just as no healthy minded person should live in constant fear of illness, so no trained speaker should anticipate physical breakdowns. Should mental blackouts occur, it is not necessarily a tragedy, and auto-suggestion can be practiced, or methods of diverting audiences can be learnt, or appeal by frank confession of your mental lapse can be tried. Any of these remedies can help overcome fear and restore self-confidence.

Laborious

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

Primitive man was probably more concerned with fire as a source of warmth and as a means of cooking food than as a source of light. Before he discovered less laborious ways of making fire, he had to preserve it, and whenever he went on a journey he carried a firebrand with him. His discovery that the firebrand from which the torch may well have developed, could be used for illumination, was probably incidental purpose of preserving a flame.

Incidental

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

Primitive man was probably more concerned with fire as a source of warmth and as a means of cooking food than as a source of light. Before he discovered less laborious ways of making fire, he had to preserve it, and whenever he went on a journey he carried a firebrand with him. His discovery that the firebrand from which the torch may well have developed, could be used for illumination, was probably incidental purpose of preserving a flame.

Reed

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

Primitive man was probably more concerned with fire as a source of warmth and as a means of cooking food than as a source of light. Before he discovered less laborious ways of making fire, he had to preserve it, and whenever he went on a journey he carried a firebrand with him. His discovery that the firebrand from which the torch may well have developed, could be used for illumination, was probably incidental purpose of preserving a flame.

Conception

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

Primitive man was probably more concerned with fire as a source of warmth and as a means of cooking food than as a source of light. Before he discovered less laborious ways of making fire, he had to preserve it, and whenever he went on a journey he carried a firebrand with him. His discovery that the firebrand from which the torch may well have developed, could be used for illumination, was probably incidental purpose of preserving a flame.

Prestige

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill among nations, and that if only the common people of the world could meet one another at football or squash, they would have no inclination to meet on the battlefield. Even if one didn't know from concrete examples that international sporting contests lead to celebration of hatred, one could deduce it from general principles.

Deduce

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill among nations, and that if only the common people of the world could meet one another at football or squash, they would have no inclination to meet on the battlefield. Even if one didn't know from concrete examples that international sporting contests lead to celebration of hatred, one could deduce it from general principles.

Savage

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill among nations, and that if only the common people of the world could meet one another at football or squash, they would have no inclination to meet on the battlefield. Even if one didn't know from concrete examples that international sporting contests lead to celebration of hatred, one could deduce it from general principles.

Concrete

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill among nations, and that if only the common people of the world could meet one another at football or squash, they would have no inclination to meet on the battlefield. Even if one didn't know from concrete examples that international sporting contests lead to celebration of hatred, one could deduce it from general principles.

Carcass

Directions: Some words in the passage below have been highlighted. Select the best meaning for the corresponding word.

Primitive man was probably more concerned with fire as a source of warmth and as a means of cooking food than as a source of light. Before he discovered less laborious ways of making fire, he had to preserve it, and whenever he went on a journey he carried a firebrand with him. His discovery that the firebrand from which the torch may well have developed, could be used for illumination, was probably incidental purpose of preserving a flame.